One of my greatest struggles is in this area. I marvel at people who find the time and consistency to daily have a personal time with the Lord. This chapter was again a motivational tool for me.

When I say motivational tool I mean that it was an encouragement to me. To show me how my need for the Saviour drives me need to spend time with him. The more time I spend with him, shows even more my need for him. And thus my actions in the world around me are affected.

Chapter Notes

How does one minister to the women of the church. Some of whom will be more versed in the bible than you are?

A couple of things to consider.1. How should I think about my spiritual ministry to other women in the body?2. With all my other responsibilities, how can I have a problem effective Devotional life and memorize the Scriptures?

First off remember this.... It is your husband who has been called to pastor. YOUR job is wife and possibly mother in your home. This along with your spiritual gifts is what will shape your ministry. Yes, people may have expectations of you, but those expectations should not shape what YOUR ministry is.

Second realize that life is always busy. Learning how to carve out time for having a personal time with God and memorizing Scripture is important. "Plan your daily routine in ways that reflect your spiritual goals". (P. 41) Realize this truth... God's Word is an "endless supply of truth and nourishment for your soul". P. 41

Delight in God's Word will grease the wheels of Devotional life and Scripture memorization. P.41

Personal devotions and Scripture memorization are precious means of grace and growth ministers do by a loving heavenly father. P. 42

If our hearts are convinced of the life-giving qualities of God's Word, we will find time for it. P. 43

Deut 32:46-47

We need to acknowledge how easy it is to push off our time with God considering that oh... I can do that later when later never actually comes. We need to encourage each other graciously and lovingly to see the connection between our spiritual growth and time spent with God.

Examine the lives of those who have gone on before helps us to see God's Word lived out. 1 Cor. 10:11

We have to remember that God's Word "is not in your the instrument of new birth. It is God's chosen ingredient, along with his Spirit, for the work of sanctification." P. 45

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Teaching - function of scripture

Reproof - correction when we are wayward

Correction - making right what went wrong

Training in righteousness - How you keep correcting what goes wrong

The more we know God's Word the more infectious of love for him will become.The more we see God meeting our needs the more we share of him with others.Our need draws us in closer. We need to see our sin but we also need to see the hope and promise of God.

Let our souls pant for God. Ps. 42

Psalm 19:7-11

Let him revive us. Let the perfection of his law be a boon to our spirit. It will convert us/transform us.

God's Word is sure. Unchanging, steadfast. A guide and foundation for our lives.

God's Word directs our lives by their rightness.. We can live and be productive for his glory. This will bring us joy.

God's Word enlightens us. It shows us what we might not have seen or considered before. It shows us where darkness might yet hide.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. No defilement in God's Word. Since they are flawless they endure forever.

Rules of God are true and righteous. If we walk in his way we have no fear of going wrong.

God's ways are more important than anything else in the word and are desired above all things.

Be warned. If we keep to God's rules and ways we will be okay. If we depart from them we won't be.

My Reflection

The more time I spend with the Lord, the more I learn.

If I want my actions to show my love for the Lord, I need to spend time with him. How can I accurately show of God's grace toward me if I don't spend time actually understanding how his grace affects me so deeply?

The more I understand of God's grace, the more I see my need for him, the more I see MY need for Christ, the more I see the need for others to see his grace bestowed freely into their lives as well.

It is this understanding that drives my service to others. Not my natural leanings or giftings, but Christ's grace at work in me.

It's God's job to put these desires into our hearts, to grow and learn and develop and see. HIS job. NOT mine. So if I fail to have daily devotions, I am failing to listen well to his promptings. it doesn't mean that I am a terrible Christian, it means that I am not prioritizing God when he is prompting me to do so. (rather than do facebook, blog, care for bunnies, do yard work, sleep in etc.). I need to figure out what is most important and then listen to the promptings of the Lord God. His grace, his knowledge, his everything, is sufficient for me and the rest just needs to be let go and I need to be aware that all my needs will be met in HIS timing. My job is merely to listen and to respond and as I learn and grow into his knowledge, everything else will come.